Vehicle spring construction.



H. s. GHAPIN.

VEEIULE SPRING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLIGATIGN FILED JULY17,1913.

Patented Ap1n28,1914;

mw-WL .Henry Sterling Cha r u h,

WI T/VESSES I embodying the improvements of my invensra ggm OFFICE.

HENRY s. cnarm, or noo v ILLE CENTER, ivnwronx To all whomzt may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY S, CHAR-IN, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing at Roc'kville Center, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Spring Construction, of which the followingis a. specification. The invention-relates particularly to improvements in the construction set forth in my Patent #1,034:,40l dated July th, 1912.

The main objects are tolgive a better control of the action of the spring and affordeasier riding qualities. y

Another object is to still further decrease the possibility of breaking the spring leaves and to allow the use of lighter springs which are less expensive and more resilient and to reduce incidental wear to a minimum.

Briefly the features of improvement over -my former patent above referred to reside principally in the relative size, shape and co-location of. the parts. The rlgid rebound check plate or bar is curved at its ends awav from the spring so that the spring iS-allowed freedom of oscillation through minimum ranges and is checked increasingly on the recoil or rebound.

Figure 1, illustrates one-form of. spring tion, the parts being in the normal position of rest. Fig. 2, is a similar view showing the parts under considerable load or compression due to rebound. Fig. 3, is a similar view showing the parts in the position of additional rebound or recoil stress.

On account of the dimensions of the drawings it is necessary to exaggerate certain details-somewhat in order that the action may be more easily understood. 'While I' have illustrated only one type of springin my present application, I wish it understood that I consider the invention as applicable to other types of springs such for instance as illiistrated in my former patent;

The spring proper is of the compound leaf /type having a plurality of leaves such. as 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 graduated in length and coa ting with each other as is common In co pound leaf constructions. In the form sh wn=theload is applied to the end of the lg g leaf. Two or more of the leaves may "secured together, for instance, by clips s ch asf'l forming a lever member, as dist not fp m the remaining shorter leaves, not

I; ippe'd'to the longleaves, whichiorm a the designer may shape the. end of the I .srmue eonsrnnorlolv.

cushionhmmberr The rigid plate or check bar l0 is secured against the concave side of the spring proper for instance, -by means "shown the rigid plate or check bar is substan- 'tially one-half the length Y of the free portion'of the spring proper. The central part of the rigid plate or check'bar is shaped to correspond with and normally b with the central part of the long leaf mem-.

her 1, while the ends 13 being of smaller in contact Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aqua-28, 191 45. Aphliation'filed Jul 17,1913.- Serial No; 779,"

radius than the spring leaf 1 curve away from the spring-leaf. It will be noted that the efleotive lever 'arm of each end of the spring .under compression is indicated by the length Y, while the effective-length uns der'rebound is variable. In the position shown i n Fig. 3 this is equal to Z. It will be noted that in" the rebound the point of contact of the long leaf-l gradually advances as the leaf flexes along the rigid plate or check bar until the fulcrum-causes the innerflpart of the long leaf to lift away from the check bar as shown in Fig. 3 at which time the shorter or cushion leaves againafford compression resistance'in a manner similar to their resistance under normalload compression. During normal load compression the point of contact between the check bar and-the long leaf varies with the slight inequalities of the road and consequent variations of compression, the constant changein the free length of the long leaves preventing the formation of 'harmonics'of "ibl'ation-at-any one spot constantly, which vibrations cause crystallization of the steel in springs n0t;fitted with this checl 0r damper, -weakeuing.. the spring until .it breaks. The variation-in'the point of fulcrum has a similar effect in distributing and dampening the vibrations that might take place both sldes of the fulcrum during its effective action, with similar benefit in preventing crystallization of the metal and cons'equent Weakness.

In addltion to controlling the degree of action by the length of the rigid plate or check bar by the number oflong leaves short hlons,

rigid.

clipped together and by the number 01; leaves remaining as a cushion or on shape as desired and the bar lengthened if desired for this purpose. In such a constructionthe. effective length of the rocker and the point of fulcrum in minor, reactions actions the point of fulcrum moves outward along this curved end and affords a continued rocker motion or traveling fulcrum. It produces not only a rocking check to the point of fulcrum, but a rocking fulcrum which makes the-leverage progressive and therefore a further feature of control. Although the construction of my former patent has been found to have practically no wear, this improved construction distributes the stresses and the very slight wear. WhatYI claim is: I 1. In a vehicle spring construction, a plurality of resilient leaf members graded in length, a'hearing acting against the shortest leaf member and a rigid check bar secured against the outer face of the longest leaf member but curved. at. its end away from said" leaf member and of substantially greater length than the effective length of said bearing'to thereby provide a .variable fulcrum for said long leaf member.

2. In a vehicle'spring construction, the combination with. a plurality of curved resilient leaf members and a bearing on the outer convex side thereof, of a rigid rein.- forcing and checking bar on the inner concave side of'the resilient leaf member of materially greater length than said bearing and having one end curved away from and normally out of contact with the inner leaf member to provide on the rebound action of the spring a progressive fulcrum for the everage exerted by the inner leaf member upon the outer leaf member.

3. In a'vehicle sprin construction, the

I inner leaf member whereby to vary the of-the spring begins at the inner end .of the. l A curve-of the check bar, but in greater recombination with a 'plura ity of resilient leaf members graded in length and a bearing acting against the shorter leaf member, ofa rigid check bar secured against the longest leaf member, and of substantially reater length than the effective length of sai bearing, the end of said check bar being disposed. away from and normally out of contact-with the long leafmember, whereb without diminishing the compression action of the resiiient leaf members, said rigid check bar serves to check the rebound. of the leaf' members and provideavariable fulcrum for the long leaf member so that the effective length of said resilient leaf members under reaction. is variable and substantially less than theefiective length of-the resilient leaf members under compression and the short leaf members serve as a 'compressionresist ance to the reaction of. the. longest: leaf member. Y a

s. CHAPIN. Witnesses:

Roar. S. I PHILIP S. 

